The annual WSU Press Holiday Book Sale filled up the Holland/Terrell Library atrium yesterday, offering its catalog of books that focus on different aspects of this corner of the United States.

“We’ll sell a lot of books here, but it’s really more of a community outreach than it is a sale,” said Bob Clark, editor-in-chief of WSU Press.

WSU Press publishes 10 books a year, which is more than enough to keep the five in-house employees very busy, he said

“We do everything from design, to editing, to distribution, and more,” he said.

Two of WSU Press’s recently-published authors were on site as well to personalize their books in time for any holiday gift giving.

Keith Petersen, Idaho’s state historian, signed copies of his newest work, “John Mullan: The Tumultuous Life of a Western Road Builder,” and was happy to speak to customers on a book many years in the making.

Petersen first had the idea to write about Mullan in 1986, but it wasn’t until 2007, when a number of Mullan’s personal letters surfaced, that he could really begin his work, he said.

“I kept waiting for others to write about him,” Petersen said.

Mullan is mostly known for engineering the first highway in the Northwest around the 1850s and 1860s, Petersen said, but the book covers his whole life – from lawyering, to bankruptcy, to lobbying.

“Interstate 90 between Spokane and Missoula is basically the Mullan route,” he said.

Petersen had his book published in May, just in time to take it to a conference for fans of Mullan.

“Believe it or not there’s a Mullan-ites conference! It was like being a kid in a candy shop,” he said.

Seated next to Petersen was Jamie Callison, executive chef for the School of Hospitality Business Management, who signed his cookbook, “The Crimson Spoon.”

“The Crimson Spoon” was published last year and was put in motion when the school directors and president tapped him on the shoulder to put a cookbook together highlighting the college, he said.

“There’s a focus on the creamery, orchards, organic farms, cattle – we have all these things around us at WSU,” Callison said. “If I couldn’t find an ingredient in the Palouse, I didn’t put it in the cookbook.”

The book was published in just nine months, which Callison said was only made possible because of the designer, photographer, students, and his co-author all rallying behind him.

“It was a university project, so I had lots of support,” he said.

Inside the book, readers can find recipes for things like “Cougar Gold Mac and Cheese,” or a “Thanksgiving Leftover Muffin,” which Callison created for a PBS special.

Clark said he thinks books continue to make excellent holiday gifts because people still like to read.

“Books aren’t disposable,” he said. “They’re something you treasure and keep.”

Community members and students who missed the library sale still have a chance to get the deals until the end of today, either online at wsupress.wsu.edu, or over the phone at 800-354-7360.